1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a management apparatus and an image forming apparatus management system for managing processes executed by an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years and continuing, there are many cases where an image forming apparatus (e.g. a multifunction machine having a facsimile function, a scanner function, and a copier function) is connected to plural computer terminals via a network and shared within a certain organization (e.g. office, company). In this environment, it is necessary to maintain confidentiality of the image data handled inside the network. Furthermore, it is desired to further improve efficiency of the image forming apparatus since the image forming apparatus is shared by plural users.
For example, in a network scanner apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-222141, there is provided an address data storing part to which address data are stored (in correspondence with each address to which data are to be delivered via the network including at least user name, password, delivery data, and other addresses that may be used by the user of a corresponding address. Accordingly, user authentication is performed with the address data storing part based on a combination of the user name and the password in the address data storing part. Thus, use of the network scanner apparatus can only be allowed for a user who has succeeded at the user authentication.
However, with the network scanner apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-222141, since image data read out from a document are transferred from the network scanner apparatus to a predetermined address, there is a possibility that the transferred image data be viewed by an unintended person in a case where a terminal corresponding to the predetermined address is shared by plural users.
Furthermore, the network scanner apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-222141 allows use by all users authenticated in the user authentication. Since recent image forming apparatuses are provided not only with a scanner function but also with various other functions such as a facsimile function and a printing function, there is a possibility that the functions of the image forming apparatus will be used for unintended purposes in a case where the user is allowed to freely use the image forming apparatus.